KSTP-AM in Minneapolis competed in the city’s Top 40 battles in the 70s. Battling with 1130 WDGY, 630 KDWB, and 980 WYOO.
Machine Gun Kelly (Gary D. Sinclair), or M.G. Kelly, was one of several AM Top 40 personalities who would achieve future success in Los Angeles, working at KODJ, now KCBS, 103.5 KOST, 930 KHJ, and 1020 KTNQ.
Kelly hosted a variety of syndicated shows and held several acting roles, including playing the part of a DJ in “A Star Is Born” starring Barbra Streisand.
In this aircheck from KSTP, Kelly is holding down evenings. His up-tempo, high-energy delivery was often copied, and on more than one occasion, Program Directors during the 1980s would say, “Get me someone with a Machine Gun Kelly-type delivery.”
I can attest to that. In the 80s, I applied for evenings at Top 40 98.5 KLUC in Las Vegas and was told I wasn’t “the Machine Gun Kelly type they were looking for.”
Here is Machine Gun Kelly at 15 KSTP Minneapolis.
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Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
